Dealers and MPG

[Adkins]

I seen a SmartCar in Maumee (south of Toledo) Ohio yesterday. It re-sparked my interest in the car.

Has there been any official determination by the EPA for the MPG on the American version of the SmartCar?

Are any dealers in north west Ohio or south east Michigan carrying the SmartCar yet?

[SmartShanna]

Adkins,
Spend a bit of time reading the various posts on these forums and I believe you will find many of your questions answered.
Cheers and welcome to the Smart community!

[propes]

... although not for the official MPG.

[ORLANDO]

Originally Posted by Adkins

I seen a SmartCar in Maumee (south of Toledo) Ohio yesterday. It re-sparked my interest in the car.

Has there been any official determination by the EPA for the MPG on the American version of the SmartCar?

Are any dealers in north west Ohio or south east Michigan carrying the SmartCar yet?

Well, whatever it will end up being using that 1.0 liter engine, it won't be any spectactular. Just around the area of the 1.3 Honda Civics, and 1.0 liter 3 cylinder Metros.

As to why somebody made the decision to drop the 650cc engine option, their ACE card, it beyond me. 650cc or 750cc turbo diesel would have placed it up in the area of the old Diesel Rabbits of 50mpg.

They screwed with the entire concept of the car; small size, small weight, and small engine with a 5 speed transmision.

I am driving a 1999 Metro with a 3 cylinder 1.0 liter motor and 5 speed tranny. 1800 pound hatchback , base model. Cost me $3000 used. Has 84,000 miles on it, and I could sell it for a profit today if I wanted.

Figure on maybe 35-45 mpg range.

[GliderDude]

Just remembered this: I first saw the Smart in one of those annual new car issues put out by the automotive magazines; I think it was Car & Driver's. They were estimating 37 city, 45 highway. Just adding further to the mystery.

[lhoboy]

If the actual EPA estimates do not come in better than the 31/43 city/hwy presented in another thread, I'm not going to be able to sell my wife on the Smart. It will take alot more than a 2 mpg difference for her to choose a Smart over the handling and relative luxury of a new Cooper. The weight, size and small engine displacement should be good for at least a 42/50 number. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

[SmartBob]

I just read a post above this one that confirms the #s from Ihoboy.

[Lewis]

And don't forget- in the current mileage equation we talking about premium grade gasoline (about 25 cents a gallon more than regular here in NJ) too!

[Peddlecar]

On just about any modern fuel injected, computer controlled engine, the fuel mileage is going to be better with the better fuel. This is because the modern computer controls can adjust things like timing based on the fuel. Having said that, most systems are made to optimize and learn map, based on the fuel it is using when if first learns.

So if you want the best gas mileage long-term, you would use the higher octane no ethanol blend if available. If you have 91 octane at 2.50 a gallon, or 89 octane at 2.25 a gallon, your cost per mile of running either is actually the same. Now if you compare 91 octane with 89 octane that is using ethanol, you will be losing money.

Most of the time, if your gas price for the premium non blend is within 10% of your next available option, your better off paying the extra money and refueling less often.

[Old smart]

To provide an inkling of what the effect of retarded ignition timing can be in order to accommodate lower octane gas, I have my numbers.

In the process of setting up my 1691cc Ford Kent Crossflow engine on a dynamometer we first ran it up on 93-octane, unleaded, ethanoled, road gas, with the necessary timing, to 103 ft-lbs of torque at the flywheel. Subsequent runs on 110-octane, full-lead racing gas, at its proper timing, produced 109 ft-lbs of torque at the same RPM. That is a 5.5% increase in engine output.

Note the Crossflow is not fuel injected and ECU controlled; it is fed by two twin-choke Weber side-draft carburetors (40 DCOEs), and in road trim it was originally intended to run on 97 RON leaded. Only the timing by rotation of the distributor was involved, and the jetting stayed the same.